A Simple Paper Model for Buckminsterfullerene Jagadese J. V i i l University of Western Ontario. London, ON, Canada N6A 587 Fivefold symmetry is of current interest among chemists.'-4 For the recently identified Cso cluster called Buckminsterfullerene (also called footballene, soccerballene in the United States), a structure with 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal faces (i.e., same as a soccer ball) has been proposed.' Here a simple method is described for making an inexpensive paper model of this truncated icosahedron for teaching purposes. T h e steps are illustrated in the figure and given below. Materials Requlred Templates of a regular pentagon and regular hexagon with the same side length, paper of about 0.2-0.4-mm thickness, adhesive tape, and scissors. Cut-outs on card of the regular pentagon and hexagon (length of side 2 or 3 cm) can be used instead of templates. Procedure 1. Draw a regular pentagon at the center of the paper. 2. Using a template, draw a hexagon on each edge of the pentagon. 3. Opposite the edge common to the pentagon, append a second hexagon to each of the first five (on the lines C1-C2, C3-Clr CC-Cc. " ...etc. in the fimre). .. . At this stare there are 10 hexaeons - and a pentagon in all, as shown in thr figure. 4. Cut out along the outlines of the shape (the solid lines in the figure), then fold along the dashed line*.
5. Tape together the sides of the adjacent hexagons AIBIand A I B ~ A2B2and A2B3. etc. 6. Repeat steps 1 6 to get the other half of the 60-cornered shape. I . Tape the sides EIDl and E2D2of a peripheral hexagon in the second half unit (11) to the sides DIEl and DlaElo of adjacent peripheral hexagons in the first half unit (I) as shown in the figure. Repeat this procedure until all the ED sides of I and I1 are taped together producing the full model of Buckministerfullerene. T h e model han 10 open and two closed pentagons and 20 closed hexarons. The oDen Dentaaons are useful for holding the model &d for visu&zikg the-faces on the distant side. Acknowledgment The author would like t o thank P. A. W. Dean for his support and encouragement.
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Kroto. H. W.:Heath, J. R.;O'Brlen, S.C.;Curl,R. F.; Smalley, R.E. Nature 1985, 318, 162. Heath, J.R.;O'Brien, S. C.;Zhang. Q.;Liu,Y.;Curl.R. F.; Krot0.H. W.; Tittel. F. K.; Smalley, R. E. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1985, 107, 7779. Davidson. R. A. Theoret. Chim. Acta ISer.) 1981.58. 193. Haymet, A. D. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1986; 108,319.
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Iliusnated drawing for the paper madel cutanis of Buckminsterfullerene.
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Journal of Chemical Education
